Nick Alston said a rise in council tax precept across Essex is necessary to offset effect of government cuts.

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by Zoie O'Brien, Reporter, covering Walthamstow, Leyton and Leytonstone. Call me on 07768 507 739

Taxpayers must pay more to fund the police force due to government cuts, according to crime commissioner Nick Alston.

Currently, the amount of money taken from council tax to fund the police is the fourth lowest of all counties in the UK, Nick Alson said.

He believes the current level is not sustainable due to government cuts coming into force, which have resulted in a 4.8 per cent drop in funding.

This is the equivalent to 165 police officers, Mr Alston said.

“Here is the predicament for our county," he added.

"We have a highly professional, lean and efficient police force, and we are faced with the need for further savings.

“At the same time, I hear week-by-week that everyone is concerned there are too few police on the front line.

“I have decided that the right and responsible thing to do is to propose a precept increase of just under £5 a year for a Band D property, or 3.5 per cent, to mitigate the reduction in central funding.

"This sum would generate funds equivalent to the cost of 57 police officers.”

Mr Alston said Essex Police has a below average number of police officers and PCSOs in relation to the size and population of the county, and the seventh lowest number of police staff.

He added: “I recognise that for some finding even this modest amount will be difficult.

“I firmly believe that increasing the portion of council tax to fund policing by just under £5 a year will reduce the risks to the effective delivery of policing services in Essex.”

The proposal will be presented to the Police and Crime Panel and debated in public at a meeting of Wednesday January 29 at 2.30pm in County Hall, Chelmsford.

Comments (6)

Nick Alston should donate his vast and unjustified red tape salary to paying for at least two full time real police officers or 4 plastic ones who are more likely to do some public good at times of need than he and the other 'elected with about a 1 % turn out' will ever do.

Nick Alston should donate his vast and unjustified red tape salary to paying for at least two full time real police officers or 4 plastic ones who are more likely to do some public good at times of need than he and the other 'elected with about a 1 % turn out' will ever do.Villagecranberry

Whether we want a Police Commisoner or not one thing we do know is budgets are being slashed with less Police doing more paper work and being less 'on the beat'. How are we going to properly fund the police???

Whether we want a Police Commisoner or not one thing we do know is budgets are being slashed with less Police doing more paper work and being less 'on the beat'. How are we going to properly fund the police???SNGreen

We constantly hear about this reduction in crime figures but in essence the reality is that people in the main are less willing to go and report crimes. Crimes that are reported are ignored or dismissed.

The only visible policing on our streets is to do with motoring where we have seen a visible increase in the swarm tactics where there are massive check points randomly dotted about.

This is not policing in the manner of which most people consider Policing to be.

Lets see some real initiatives like getting Police to do Police work rather than just motor vehicle management and Govt policy enforcement and people may be happy to dig a little deeper.

This man claims to have run successful businesses and two key things important to that are happy staff and value for money to the consumer.
Neither seems to be the case.

I am not prepared to pay more for less. This man made many claims on his election manifesto of which now seem to have just been bluster.
http://www.policeele
ctions.com/candidate
s/essex/nicholas-als
ton/views/
We constantly hear about this reduction in crime figures but in essence the reality is that people in the main are less willing to go and report crimes. Crimes that are reported are ignored or dismissed.
The only visible policing on our streets is to do with motoring where we have seen a visible increase in the swarm tactics where there are massive check points randomly dotted about.
This is not policing in the manner of which most people consider Policing to be.
Lets see some real initiatives like getting Police to do Police work rather than just motor vehicle management and Govt policy enforcement and people may be happy to dig a little deeper.
This man claims to have run successful businesses and two key things important to that are happy staff and value for money to the consumer.
Neither seems to be the case.pan